Research reveals insights into lives of early settlers

In the first research of its kind in New Zealand,
University of Otago researchers are gaining fresh insights
into the quality of life and identity of Otago’s early
European settlers and farmers through excavating and
analysing skeletons from unmarked graves in St. John’s
Burial Ground, in Tokoiti, Milton.

The project is
being undertaken in partnership with a local community group
called Tokomairiro Project 60 (TP60) and the Anglican
Church. A public meeting to unveil the initial findings, and
individual life histories of some of the people buried at
the cemetery will be held on 15th of August at 7pm at the
Milton Coronation Hall.

Professor Hallie Buckley,
who is co-leading the research with Dr Peter Petchey and
Professor Lisa Matisoo-Smith, says the team is intrigued by
the findings to date.The names of some of the people who
have been identified so far, and whom the Otago researchers
are seeking further information on from living descendants,
are:

· Lt Robert Rowley Thomson (formerly of
Kilcooly, Tipperary, Ireland. Died September 1877)

·
Flora’s husband, Gustavus Adolphus Weber, (the
researchers have found descendants of his brother),

·
Henry Pim

The first three people were identified by the
painting on their coffin plates during the excavation and
Henry Pim’s inscribed headstone was found buried just
under the ground surface. Henry’s grave was not
excavated.

The TP60 group had located records of 68
burials in the St John’s Church of England Cemetery on the
back road at Tokoiti.

Recent research has revealed
that the first known burials were in 1857 and 1859 which
predate the consecration of the site by Bishop Harper in
1860. Previously, the first known burial was thought to be
in 1860 and the last in 1926.

The people are mostly
first-generation settlers and their families with two thirds
born overseas. Half of these were from the UK, mostly from
England but some from Ireland, Scotland and Wales who moved
to Otago after 1850.

State-of-the-art archaeological
and forensic analysis of the cemetery and those buried
within is being undertaken by a multidisciplinary research
team led by Dr Peter Petchey of the Department of
Anthropology and Archaeology and Professors Buckley and
Matisoo-Smith of Anatomy.

Detailed mapping and
geophysical surveying of the burial ground has been carried
out, followed by careful archaeological excavation of
selected areas. The researchers found many previously
unknown burials outside the presently-fenced area of the old
cemetery. Sixteen graves were found in the area to the rear
of the fence, confirming the common suspicion that the
cemetery was larger than these bounds.

Archaeological excavation of part of the cemetery took
place in the latter part of last year. The work was preceded
by a blessing by the Anglican Bishop and a whakawātea
conducted by Ōtākou rūnaka and closed by a blessing by
the local vicar, who also performed a brief blessing for
each burial as it was uncovered and prior to it being
lifted.

The research involves DNA, bone, hair and
tooth analysis — including investigations into strontium
isotopes that may help to pinpoint where in the UK the
settlers came from. This biological information will be
integrated with the historical research gathered by the TP60
group and death certificates to aid in identification of
more people.

Identified living descendants of the
people known to have been buried there will be asked to
provide a DNA sample to help determine which remains may be
those of their ancestors. Professor Buckley’s departmental
colleague Professor Matisoo-Smith is conducting the DNA
analyses on the skeletons and their living descendants.

Most of the coffins were discovered to be covered with a
black woollen fabric that was fixed with iron tacks, with an
embossed decorative metal (possibly zinc) strip tacked on
around the edges. These trim strips had deteriorated, but
several patterns could be seen. Iron coffin plates were
applied over the chests of most of the adult interments, and
originally bore the name and age at death of each person.
These plates were very rusty, but writing on four could be
deciphered.

“New Zealand was presented to settlers
as a ‘Better Britain’ – a place where they could build
more fulfilling and healthier lives. Through our research we
are trying see whether this was a reality or not,”
Professor Buckley says.

The researchers are
comparing the detailed life histories the TP60 members have
compiled with the new forensic evidence.

The burials
will be re-interred at the burial ground later this year,
with appropriate markers for these previously unknown
graves, once the weather becomes more favourable.
ends

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